Group Presentation comments

David Harris

4/22/15

AmStd 475

Group:Keaton Moore, Julia Kilts, Misty Skelton

I found the presentation on I-phones and their production the most interesting. The countries that make the Iphone are mainly China and Taiwan. China is a second world country, which goes against the common belief that only third world countries produce I-phones. Much of the resources come from South Africa, a first world country, another example of the common beliefs being challenges. I like how the group took on the issue on where I-phones were made and how because everyone in the United States in the 21^st century has owned an I-phone or knows someone who has had one. It is easy to see that there is a connection with the audience.

 The group introduced the company of Foxconn, in charge of production of I-phones. The group went into detail about the work practices of Foxconn. The workers are forced to stand at attention for hours if a mistake is made. There live in a dormitory-like setting. There is a high suicide rate for working with Foxconn. The day starts with an unpaid morning meeting. An employee describes working 12 hours as a normal day and not being paid overtime. Work on average is 60 hours a week.  These are considered harsh work practices compared to factories in the United States. I think the group did a good job in outlining the harsh workplace conditions but I think they should have focused in the suicide rate. I would think that the high suicide rate is a result of the multiple factors that are the work place practices.

Apple is outsourcing the manufacturing of I-phones in order to dramatically cut costs of production. Based off the work practices it is now difficult to morally support the Apple I-phone now. The cost that is not seen in the price when buying the I-phone is passed on to those working at the Foxconn factory.

Another connection that the group made was that for many adults from our generation, digital consumption is mainly done through our phones. This digital consumption would be limited if it was not for our device. We then should learn more about the devices as they are almost imperative in our 21^st century life. They accomplished their goal of spreading awareness on the production of I-phones while at the same time tearing down misconceptions.

I am interested to see what knew information the group finds out. Is Foxconn Apple’s main manufacturer?  If not, what are the work place practices of the other manufacturers? If they are the main manufacturer, why are they? Also another area they could look into is the different types of materials that go into an I-phone. They brushed upon this subject briefly, but I would be interested for the group to figure out item by item. 

Reflection of the East-Asian cybertyping presentation in class

Out of the three presentations we watched in class today, I found the presentation on East-Asian women and cyber types extremely interesting. There seems to be a stigma of what East-Asian women are like.  This is then disseminated over the internet and onto online dating services. East-Asian women are the most sought after. Also when men are looking for East-Asian women they already have a preconceived notion of how they arelike: docile, exotic, loyal. The men used stereotyped notions of the culture, as well.  They expect the women, it seems, to be wearing a qipao even though they live in America and possibly have grown up in this culture. 

                The main point of the presentation, besides how creepy/ desperate some men are, is that cybertyping is a prevalent issue in online dating. When the pictures of the online dating sites for Asians were brought up in class, all were cybertypes. One website was shown that was a foil to this issue and that is a positive. The other websites, however, fed into this East-Asian women cybertype.  Women in nearly all the pictures had a serene background and looked submissive.

                I’m not sure where the research will go from here, but I am very interested. I had not related cyber types to online dating; from what I learned today, it is applicable. The intended audience is for young Americans to be aware that cyber typing is a common practice with online dating services. This topic brings more depth to the issue of cyber typing and provides a prime example.  A few questions that I would be interested in are: what cities are East-Asian online cybertyping most prevalent? Are the statistics similar for homosexuals and lesbians? Does this cybertype for East-Asian women hold up worldwide?

                I look forward to listening to more presentations in class. 

Importance of Social Media in Egyptian Revolution

David Harris

Amstd475-01

Professor Plemons

3/5/15

                In “Networks of Outrage and Hope: Social Movements in the Internet Age”, Manuel Castells outlines his points about the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. Castells main arguments is that through social media and networking the Egyptian Revolution gained power and support that procured the revolution to heights it could not have secured without..  Because of revolution, the Mubarak government shutdown internet access in Egypt for about a week. During this period Egyptian citizens were reliant on other forms of technology (fax, telephone, radio) to continue to voice their message. International aid also came to Egypt in the form of media coverage, modem support, and free international calling. The restoration of the internet occurred about a week later. Castells argues that besides economics (Egypt lost 3-4% of its GDP in that time) there was no point of shutting down the internet anymore—the threshold of power was crossed. Mubarak no longer had any control on the size and scope of the issue.  The revolution did not stop with the overthrow of Mubarak. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) then tried to consolidate power and impose the Selmi document . The Selmi document “basically gave full control of the state and limitless autonomy to the Armed Forces” (76). A massive protest then took place in Tahrir Square and the revolutionary slogan was changed from “Down with Mubarak” to “Down with military rule” (77). This event attests to the determination and fortitude of those of the Egyptian Revolution and the continued power of the internet as word spread about the protest through various social media sites. Social media can be seen as irreplaceable in the Egyptian Revolution as it created a new sphere where ideas could be shared and mobilization of forces could occur.

                 An interesting part of Castells argument that can be related to this class is his analysis of power dynamics and fear in Egypt.  Castells defines power as “a combination of coercion and intimidation with persuasion and consensus building” (78). Mubarak had exercised power throughout his rule until the legitimacy of his government was lost. The legitimacy was eroded by continued failures in the economy (increase in food prices, widespread poverty). Always, instability in the economy triggers fear throughout a society. That fear turned to anger with the crony practices of Mubarak’s government and through social media, anger was broadcasted on a large scale. Social protests began to occur because of the widespread anger. While in class on Monday (3/2) we watched a video of Castells speaking about his ideas. He at one point commented that at the heart of every social movement is emotion—specifically when fear turns to anger. Fear turned to anger with the Egyptian Revolution without the internet; however, because of the internet the anger could be circulated to thousands of citizens with a single click. The internet allows for the anger of the people to become widely known in seconds. The dynamics of power and fear are still the same but there is now a greater likely hood for fear to turn to anger and thus anger to power. Power was thus transposed from government to the people. So far we have been extremely critical of calling the internet a “democratizing instrument” ; however, in this case it looks as if it did just that.

                 One instance that I thought Castells complicated this scenario is with Tunisia and hope. Because Tunisia showed the people of Egypt that “if everybody would come together and fight uncompromisingly to the end, regardless of the risks”, it was possible to topple an unjust government (81). The addition of hope is what I see as necessary; the Egyptian citizens know that progress is possible. I wish that Castell would have centered this idea of hope in his argument more. Hope seemed just as integral as fear yet he emphasized fear and anger drastically more. Also it would be interesting if then Castells would extend his argument to the global perspective of the Arab Spring. This, of course, would require greater research and would not entirely focus as Egypt as an effect but a catalyst.

 I really enjoyed how this text took a specific historical event and put it into context using the power of social media. Castells wrote that “The Internet revolution does not negate the territorial character of the revolutions through history. Instead it extends it from the space of places to the space of flows” (61). He then uses Egypt as an example of how the internet changed the possibilities of communication.  When the people then came to Tahrir Square they came in large numbers but already with many of the ideology of the revolution already constructed. Also the ideology can change using social media (example can be seen with how the rallying cry changed from “Down with Mubarak” to “Down with military rule”). The Women’s Media Center explained why this change needed to occur: “We may have deposed Mubarak, but the regime, led by the SCAF, is still intact” (77). Castell then showed the importance of the internet as ideology does not stagnate and change in practice can occur –not just leaders.

                This text adds to my appreciation for the internet. So far throughout the class I feel as if a negative light has been constantly fixed on the internet and social media. This article by Castells shows that social media and the internet can have a democratizing and positive effect on a situation. Also, I am a history major so this article was right up my alley. 

Advancement of IP titles

David Harris

Amstd475-01

Professor Plemons

2/26/15

                Anita Chan in her article “Network Peripheries: Technological Futures and the myth of Digital Universalism” comments that since “2000 developing nations have begun investing in their IP systems with new intensity, reworking them to not only coordinate their regimes with those of Western nations but also pursue new titlings on an expansive range of living and cultural forms” (26) The first example that Chan gives is with the town of Chulucanas in Peru. An IP title is a denomination of origin that is given to a product (23). Through using an IP title the people of Chullucanas would be able to distinguish their ceramics from others from surrounding areas. However, there is a counter effects: “disintegrating shared public interest and dissolving spaces of collective identification”(25). It can be seen that the competition in Chulucanas has increased and so has the distrust in the community. However later on in the text Madeleine Burns (speaker at the UN sponsored “Folk Art, Innovation, and Sustainable Development) comments that IPs lead to the development of ceramists to improve themselves (27). This statement by Burns stands in stark contrast than to what Chan has shown in the beginning of her article.  Instead of improving of ceramics, it looks as if the artists are refusing to work with each in fear that others will steal their product. Also from the article it seems as if the Country of Peru is trying to capitalize on creativity and skills of its people. Sharing your citizen’s ingenuity to the world is a noble task for a nation; however, there can be negative effects that can be attributed to this as well.  It is important to realize that the representation on the IP titles is not a complete representation of the product. Also for a producer to try and stand out as new, they would realistically have to stray from the ancestral representation of the product. By appealing to an international market sweeping changes would need to occur.  This article did remind me of the TED talk we watched in class. It is assumed in both pieces that globalization is inherently good. The old ways of learning or manufacturing are outdated and should be replaced by a complex new system. These new systems should not be met with unquestioning support. Instead it has been seen that there will always be consequences to every action (negative and positive).  

A Cyborg Manifesto

David Harris

Amstd 475-01

Professor Plemons

2/20/15

                My main take away from Donna Harraway’s “A Cyborg Manifesto” is that a cyborg is a “hybrid or a machine and organism, a creature of social reality as well as a creature of fiction” (149). The cyborg is then used to show that binaries are not how we as people should think of the world. This example creates a gray area between nature and machine. The cyborg is not limited by traditional binaries and dualist paradigms for example, a cyborg is neither male nor female Areas that she cites as already breaking down binaries are human vs. animals, organisms vs. machines, and physical and non-physical.  The purpose is to then critique this binary world that is created around us with the idea of the cyborg as the new road map. Also she wants to tear down boundaries rather than promoting labels.

I find it very interesting that she said machines are becoming more lifelike as this was published in 1985. This is before the time of voice commands and Siri. I specifically think of Siri because you can have Siri address you with your personal name. By stating your name Siri is then acting as if it is a personal friend of yours. Also, Siri can talk back to you. For example, when you ask Siri where is a good place to bury a dead body she responds with multiple locations around your general area. Machines can recommend locations to your for certain purposes, like a best friend would recommend Red Bento if you really wanted sushi nearby. Harraway already states in 1985 that machines are becoming more personal; I wonder how she would react to 2015 technology.  How far would she extend her argument? This a good question that has no  answer.

“A Cyborg Manifesto” easily can be brought into the discussions we are having in the classroom. At the center of Harraway’s argument is to not think of the world as black and white. So far we have critiqued the binary view of technology: technology is either the great equalizer or a great limiter. With Harraway’s view technology is neither. Instead technology should be thought of as a gray area that has too much complexity to put a label on it.  I believe that with not labeling what technology is we will be able to view the benefits and critique in a holistic manner.  This is something that Harraway would agree with and extend to everything. We are already cyborgs and we should thus view the world around us as such. We cannot be quantified with a label therefore we should not do that to others and the world around us. 

http://faculty.georgetown.edu/irvinem/theory/Haraway-CyborgManifesto-1.pdf

Social Profiles as Regalia

David Harris

Amstd475-01

Professor Plemons

1/12/15

                Kristin Arola discusses social profiles as form of regalia in “It’s My Revolution: Learning to See the Mixedblood”. Arola self-identifies herself as a mixed blood Native American. It is clear that she recognizes that this places herself in a polarizing position. Arola writes about the complicated definition of being an American Indian in today’s American culture. The “federal government recognizes someone as Indian(1/4)…to be recognized as Indian by a non-Indian generally physical attributes or adornments… to be recognized as Indian by another Indian…often depends on who you know, where you grew up…” (Arola 213). Arola identifies that she does not perfectly fit into a “neatly decided racial category” (Arola 215). To Arola, the mixedblood Indian must be seen and represented—not as Indians but as mixed.  Arola then argues that the new way of seeing mixedblood Indians in the modern world is through the online identities that are created. This online representation is a regalia—outfit worn by powwow dancers that represents their identity. Just as one’s social profile can change, so can a regalia as it represents there past and present.

                I believe that Arola is writing this article to those of the pure blood Native American or those who are not Native American. She provides a multiple reasons as to why those of mixedblood are in a undefined racial category. Arola’s goal seemed to be to convince others to not jump first to judgment and instead empathize and learn. This text adds to the conversation we have been having in class as to the power of the internet. So far we have talked mainly how the internet is not “The Great Equalizer” (quotes and capitalization for dramatic effect). Instead it can create cybertypes and create an assumed whiteness. I would say that Arola takes a positive spin on the internet as it can be used and critiqued as a new form of identity that cannot be separated from our real world one. I would say that instead of looking it as an equalizer or a cybertyper, Arola approaches social profiles as expressions of self. There is nothing wrong with an authentic, personalized representation of you. If you don’t want to show everything, that is also okay.

                I would disagree with Arola that your online identity is tied to your offline one. There have been many cases when humans have misrepresented themselves online. One example is the incident with the former Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o. In this situation, Te’o created a believed-to-be authentic relationship with a woman online. It was later revealed that the girl and relationship was a hoax. This is an example of when someone’s identity online was not fixed with theirs offline. Another example is the show Catfish. If you have never seen the show, watch this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XicfY8iHzuE . The imposter in the show admits that he made up a fake profile in order to rid the world of adulterers or cheaters.  There is an admitted no connection of identity by the man between himself and the profile.  I think that Arola provides an interesting view of social profiles by comparing it to regalia, however, I don’t believe it is as smooth of an analogy as she believes. 

Content Moderation

David Harris

2/5/15

Amstd 475

Content Moderation

        When approaching social media platform it is always assumed that your posts, tweets, and pictures are all being monitored. This could either be done, as Adrian Chen puts it, by active moderation or reactive moderation. With active moderation there needs to be approval of every public action before it can be done. One way that I thought of it, is your ability with Facebook to require approval before anything to be posted on your wall. The difference here is that one person looks at thousands public actions. Instead of personal preference, gore, sex, solicitation…etc are the deciding factors.  While with reactive moderation a post, tweet, or picture is only viewed by the moderator if it is flagged. These two styles of moderation were as complex as I have ever thought about content moderation. After reading “The Laborers Who Keep Dick Pics and Beheadings Out of Your Facebook Feed” by Adrian Chen I realized I had a shallow view of this powerful and obscure world. Chen wrote this article to inform the public about this ubiquitous and omnipotent business that hundreds of thousands of them interact unknowingly with every day. In part, she builds sympathy for the workers themselves with horror stories of unnerving grotesque videos: beheadings, revolting sexual acts. On the other hand, she tries to stir up confusion as to why consumers and users have not thought or heard about these companies before. It is states that there are an estimated 100,000 content moderators, twice as many as Google employees and fourteen times the number of people of Facebook (Chen). These two international companies have a worldwide presence; however, little is known about the companies that provide the content moderation for them. Chen talks with Sarah Roberts, media studies scholar at University of Western Ontario, who is of the opinion that “if there’s not an explicit campaign to hide it, there’s certainly a tacit one” (Chen).  This quote is meant to enrage the audience that they are being tricked by smoke and mirrors. Simply, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Chen is shedding light on the faces of the people who were behind the curtain. While these people are powerful they still are…well people.

        The implication for this text is that I sympathize with all of those who are content moderators. They go through similar symptoms of PTSD, and many do not last long in the business. Some of the things that they do see cannot be undone. This point is made with the final paragraph with the ending quote by one of the moderators “I don’t know if I can forget it… I watched that a long time ago, but it’s like I just watched it yesterday” (Chen). Chen is certainly employing pathos when writing this article. Those who do this job are now wounded souls, similar to veterans of war.

        This text certainly persuades any reader to look upon major social media companies as consumers. Through the content that is created on the their cite, the happiness and optimism of their content moderators is being sucked out. Watching all of these videos is comparable to standing in front of a deatheater: it will unequivocally change your perspective of humanity. I am grateful that someone else is moderating the objectionable and gory videos off social media in order to save my virgin eyes and thoughts. I would think that this is the “dark web” that we have spoken of in class.

http://www.wired.com/2014/10/content-moderation/